Flexible metal door-mat.



No. 684,383. Patented 0st. 8, 190|. G. ROSS.

FLEXIBLE METAL DOOR MAT.

(Lpphcstlon led Sept 25 1900) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 684,383. Patented Oct. 8, |901. G. RUSS.

FLEXIBLE METAL 000B MAT.

(Appuwion and sept. 2s, 1900.)-

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Ilo Model.)

Z VL CR i PATENT Ormes;

GRANT ROSS, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

FLEXIBLE METAL DOOR-MAT.

SPECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,383, dated October 8, 190i- Application filed September 255 190D. Serial N'n. 31,116. (No model.)

To al whom it may concern/3 Be it known that I, GRANT ROSS, a 4citien of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Flexible Metal Door-Mat, of which the following is a speci'- cation.

My object is to produce a strong, durable, and exible door-mat by shaping and connecting metal straps of uniform width and length in such a manner that the mat will be reversible and the wear on the edges of the straps toward their centers and also in such a manner that the straps will extend parallel with each other and adapted to be doubled up on each other into a compact roll.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan View of one of the rigid ends of my mat adapted to be pivotally connected with the body portion of the mat. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of two metal straps adapted to be connected to produce a rigid section ot' such form and length as is required to be adapted to be pivotally connected at its ends with a mating section in a complete mat. Figs. et `and 5 show modied forms of lateral bendsin the metal straps. Fig. 6 shows two parts rigidly connected by means of a metal loop fixed thereto. Fig. 7 shows two parts riveted together. Fig. Sis a side View of parts fixed together by means of integral clasps. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line a: of Fig. 8. Fig. lO shows a plurality of rigid frames pivotally connected with each other and one of the rigid ends as required to produce a flexible metal mat of any width or length desired. Fig. 1l is a top view of a complete mat, in which the outside straight bar at one end of the mat has shorter right-angled extensions at the ends of the straight bar than the straight bar at the other end of the mat.

The letter A designates one of the metal straps adapted to produce a rigid end. Its

end portions are bent at right angles, and the righ t-angled extensions A2 thus produced have lateral bends b. At one end of the mat, as shown in Fig. l, is a straight metal strap A3, that has short right-angled exten# sions A4. A second strap O is bent laterally in reverse ways, preferably as shown in Figs. l an'd 10, and its ends are bent at rightangles and fitted and Iixed to the'inside faces and corners at the ends of the straps A by means of rivets or in any suitable Way. The end portions of the 'strap O, that extend at right angies thereto and that contact with the inside face of the straight strap A, are also rigidly fixed thereto in such a manner that the end of a mat thus composed of two straps will be rigid and by perforating the ends of the rightangled extensions A2 adapted to be pivotally connected or hinged to the end portion of the mat.

To produce one of the rigid sections of the body portion of the complete mat, a strap D is bent laterally in reverse ways along its length and its ends bent at right angles and the right-angled extensions D2 bent laterally at their central portions to adapt them to be pivot-ally connected, as shown in Fig. lO. A second strap F is also bent in reverse ways along its length and at right angles at its ends to be rigidly ixed to the strap D, Where the lateral extensions are in contact and also Where the right-angled extensions F2 overlie the inside faces of the extensions D-` of the strap D. Each rigid section is composed of straps Dland F, and their contacting portions, that are bent laterally into semihexagon shape, are rigidly connected, preferably by forming coinciding openings therein and integral clasps g and extending the clasps through the openings and then bending them in reverse ways, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Any number of rigid sections thus composed of two metal straps D and F can be readily hinged together, and also with rigid straight ends composed of straps A and C, by means of pivots m, as shown in Fig. l0, to produce a liexible and reversible metal mat. By bending the extensions D2 of the straps D laterally and perforating the free end portions they are adapted to serve as links for hinging together the rigid sections composed of straps D D2 and F F2, as required to produce a flexible mat that can be advantageously rolled together.

Having thus described the construction, ar-

rangement, and combination of the different parts of my invention, its practical utility will be obvious to persons familiar with the art to which it pertains.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a metal door-mat, a rigid end composed of a straight metal strap having rightangled extensions at its ends and a second metal strap bent laterally in reverse ways along its length and its ends bent at right angles to overlie the inside faces of the said extensions at the ends of the straight strap and the two straps fixed together at the various points where they contact with each other.

2. In a metal door-mat, a rigid section composed of a metal strap bent laterally along its length in reverse ways and having its ends extended at right angles and perforated to serve as links for hinging the sections together, and a second strap bent laterally along its length in reverse Ways to form bends that mate those of the first-mentioned strap, and to form right-angled extensions at its ends, the contacting parts of the straps being rigidly secured together, substantially as shown and described.

3. A exible and reversible metal door-mat comprising a plurality of rigid frames each composed of a metal strap bent laterally in reverse Ways along its length and its ends extended at right angles and a second metal strap bent in reverse ways along its length and its ends bent at right angles and the two Y straps fastened together at their overlying stated.

GRANT ROSS. Witnesses:

J. C. TATE, LIZZIE KEHoE. 

